Stellenbosch

Well, I would have written a little bit sooner, but we have had some internet difficulties. You’ll all be pleased to know that I single-handedly solved that situation. J

I think I left off in the airport in Johannesburg. Our flight from Jo’burg to Capetown was pretty basic, and the drive from Capetown to Stellenbosch was lovely. However, we did see quite a few slums just outside the city. They stretched for two, maybe three miles. It was heartbreaking, not to mention odd, to see pitiful rows of shacks seated next to exquisite mansions. During the rest of the drive, we saw rugged mountains, rolling hills, remnants of the World Cup, and a strawberry patch spattered with weirdly life-like scarecrows. Honestly, I must say I found it rather creepy.

Now: let’s talk wine. We are staying at the Kleine Zalze Lodge. Let me translate that for you: the “Ridiculously Extravagant Wine-obsessed Lodge.” The view from our back porch alone is astounding. We overlook a golf course and an in-your-face closeness to the neighboring mountains. The weather is about 50-65 degrees Fahrenheit, just about perfect. Behind the lodge (which, it’s not really a lodge, but more of a conglomeration of stucco apartments), is a huge field of grape vines. It’s quite different from what you’d expect, of course, because it’s winter here and nothing is blooming. Yet it’s still lovely and most enjoyable. I’ll be getting up early with Dad to go for a run on the dirt road that runs through there. There’s a good likelihood I’ll catch a few pictures.

After we arrived here yesterday, we had enough time to check in, change clothes, and unpack until we had to leave right away for our dinner at Overlook. Again, I will translate: “The Ritzy Restaurant that is basically outside when it is basically thirty degrees and serves you next to nothing for way too much but somehow manages to have the most brilliant sunset imaginable outside.” Whew. That was long. And so was our dinner: four hours. The day we finish flying in from Timbuktu, and we have a four hour dinner. I understand that it’s just part of the deal, but hopefully the rest of our dinners won’t be quite so lengthy.

After dinner, we all slept for 12-14 hours and missed breakfast. It was well worth it. After we grabbed a quick bite of lunch with Uncle Ronnie (Dad’s lecture partner) and his son Mark, we took a cab to downtown Stellenbosch. The city is a college town but is surprisingly well-kept and crime-free. We bartered in the marketplace, and since it was late on Friday afternoon, we had some *allegedly* excellent prices. Lauren and I picked up some jewelry and trinkets while Dad shelled out the rands. The venders were incredibly nice, and we enjoyed chatting with them. However, because this is their livelihood, they were quite imposing, too. We poked a bit of fun at them and the old “I’ll make a special price for you” bit, and they were good-natured enough to laugh with us.

Afterward, the family toured the rest of the city for an hour and headed back to our Lodge. Then we once again had a four-hour dinner. I must admit, though, that both the portions and the conversations had grown in size and quality, so Lauren and I made it through all right. It’s about 12 now, and I have to get up at 8:30, so I think that will be all for now.